My name is Juran Timu-Adams. I’m originally from Tolaga Bay, Aotearoa, and I’ve been living in Darwin for about 18 months now. I grew up around all genres, from grunge, punk-rock to soul and rnb, and I watched my siblings take on the industry in their own ways, touring, recording and performing – my whole life. I wanted that to be me.

Prior to this, I spent over 12 years in Arnhem Land. I entered the music industry in 2017 and recorded my debut EP, ‘Gone,’ at Ards in Nhulunbuy with producer Andrew Grimes. The first single, ‘Belle,’ from that EP was released in 2018.

During my time in Arnhem Land, I performed at various festivals such as Garma Festival and Yarrpay Festival, as well as in communities alongside talented Yolngu artists like Yirrmal, Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, and Emily Wurramara.

In 2022, I relocated to Sydney to collaborate with a new manager, though that arrangement didn’t pan out as expected. Nevertheless, I had the opportunity to work with artists such as Dobby and Tessa Thames. Towards the end of the year, I performed a 40-minute set at the Sydney Opera House as part of the ‘Wanha! Journey to Arnhem’ show, which was a huge highlight for my career. 

Throughout the year, I frequently flew back to the Northern Territory for various music engagements, including the Imagine Seaside Festival in September. After spending just two days in Darwin, I was captivated by the vibrant music scene here. I connected with local greats Kuya James and Caiti Baker and decided to make Darwin my home. I moved here in November and have since felt immensely supported in my artistic journey. I’ve honed my sound to reflect my true self and have become deeply engaged in my craft.

Trying to find the money as an independent artist to make moves. I’ve applied for so many grants, put hours and hours in.
I’ve also really struggled to trust in managers. While I was living in Arnhem Land, I really struggled with reach – and felt like it was hard to network with industry people online because I lived so remote and needed support but didn’t know who to reach out to.

I connected with a manager at the end of 2021 who lived in Sydney and agreed to support me if I moved to Sydney. I had lived in the bush for 12 years so living in a huge city was terrifying for me. Fish out of water. Knew no one there, completely isolated from any supports. It took that manager 2 months to finally meet up with me or return any messages/calls/emails. 

My family and I drove an hour to meet up, had a beautiful afternoon, and she promised me many things, recording with other artists she manages, and other opportunities she was going to start trying to get me. Then completely ghosted me for another month. I called the friend that connected us, and they called her, then this manager called me finally, but explained that she can no longer manage me.  She basically said because I wasn’t getting any gigs for myself that it was too hard for her to do that for me, and to reach out to her again when I have made more connections in NSW and have played more shows. This obviously crushed me, wasnt she supposed to help me?? It made me feel terrible for putting my family through such a huge life change. I had to harden up quick smart. I guess it worked haha 

I was lucky that I still had close connections to Arnhem Land and the NT, and had been travelling frequently back for gigs that organisers in the NT would fly me up for. I quickly realised that that’s where my real support was. After a year of living in NSW and hustling to make connections (which I did on my own and now have amazing connections down there) as well as some serious life changes, I moved up to Darwin and was immediately embraced by the creatives here and have since found my truest sound. 

The highs since moving here have been consistent. 

• Directing an award winning show called Manifesto of Saltwater Women, getting a spot at Darwin Festival 2024
• Joining punk band Mr Chrisy Mertas as their guitarist in 2023 and performing at Bass in the Grass 2024
• Collaborating with Darwin gem Caiti Baker in girl group duo clink- recording bangers due for release this year with our first single titled ‘Rabbit Hole’. Exploring hip hop and rnb as a rapper and dancer with Caiti
• Hosting club Awi at Darwin Festival every weekend 2023
• Writing my whole first album and recording/releasing the first single in 3 years in April 2024 alongside Darwin Family Kuya James, Caiti Baker, Evan Saunders and Rowan Dally
• Gone Ep [2018], Belle [2018], Kuini [2019], Take it on [2020], Wish u Well [2021].
• Finding my true sound, and creating a whole album influenced by my punk rocker/heavy metal musician siblings, my love for soul and motown from my parents and naturally flowing with reggae, roots, rnb & hiphop. Ive developed my sound into ‘Alternative Soul’ or ‘Indie Soul’, and im obsessed

Andrew Grimes – he produced my whole ep

Caiti Baker – new producer and creative director, bought my voice out. Such a beautiful inspiration to me, such a baddie!

James Mangohig – producer and creative director, has achieved so much, badass

Evan Saunders – writes the most beautiful guitar riffs and manages me as much as he can

Matthew McLean lead singer of Mr Chrisy Mertas

Don’t be so quick to trust people, trust yourself first. Always be authentic to you.

Being internationally signed to a label I can trust, being paid to do what I love, recording my music with people that know and understand my sound and my voice (I already have them) building a career off of what I love the most in the whole world, music.

I want the rush of performing consistently on tour, featured all over the world, my music to be heard everywhere, as well as sung back to me at my own sold out set at a huge festival overseas! I want photo shoots and video shoots and press releases, tours and collaborations with other amazing artists.

Performing is such a beautiful experience. The energy you get from a giving crowd is next level. While still being authentic to myself and my sound, I want to connect with audiences all over the world through music and as corny as it sounds, I want to perform on the big stages for the rest of my life. I want to share my stories through music in the hopes that i help people by recording music, performing, collaborating, touring… all of the things. 

Jeff Buckley – Vocally and emotionally he delivers and has always been my idol vocally and lyrically.

Solange – quirky style and experimental music for r&b/soul singer

Donald Glover/Childish Gambino for his ambiguity and equally his authenticity when it comes to creating. I feel like he uniquely goes above the grade just enough, and explores many different styles and genres in just one song.

Turnstile’s music – they are mostly a rock band but their sound moves from punk rock to a rich and experimental style that stays in the pocket, they are soooo cool! 

Khurangbin – again – experimental style wise, music is so amazing

And obviously Rihanna. For OBVIOUS reasons

The music scene has improved so much. I think that people interstate and international are starting to recognise the talent up here finally. When I first moved to Arnhem Land I think the only artist from Darwin that I knew about was Jessica Mauboy.

Getting to know the artistry over time here, I’ve found that the music here is so rich, and there is strong culture and respect up here. My appreciation for NT artists is huge, because we have to work extra hard to be noticed by the other states. Not only that, some of the biggest and most influential artists come from Arnhem Land.

Way more venues with quality sound for live music! None of the big names ever come to Darwin. More opportunities for Darwin artists to be recognised by record labels down south without us having to leave our home. Darwin is actually so special.

Because we have accessibility to a platform where we have the power to influence others through our art, and use our voice to reach a large number of people.

There is never a right time to do this. Ive been hustling in this industry for almost 10 years, and I’ve only just become prolific and recognised because I realised that my sound is not defined by those that want to hear it, its defined by what comes from the depths of my soul (lol) again so corny, but I have a whole album that is ready to be recorded, and every single time I perform one of those songs, I cry. The music is just so raw, I feel everything from the lyrics, to the guitars to the drums, and I have people asking me “how they can find it”. It is so hard to record without the backing of people that don’t truly believe in you, but it is even more difficult if you don’t truly believe in yourself. It comes from YOU. 

The industry looked like a dream. I always envisioned myself performing on stage to millions, I would dance on my balcony as a 9 year old pretending that I was one of the spice girls! I realise now that it is a cut throat industry, it is nothing like i imagined. It is terrifying, shameful and you get rejected all the time, but you just can’t give up. It is so beautiful if you just take every single chance you get. 

To choose between my life before and my life now. I am a mother, I was a wife, and gave up my dreams of being a professional singer and basically a rockstar to raise my 2 amazing boys for 10 years. Being married did not suit me, I dreamed of being able to hustle and work towards my goals and couldn’t do it as a wife but dreaded the idea that if I left my husband, I’d lose my kids. 

After years of hating myself, I made the choice to leave him, and continue to grieve my beautiful babies, never sleeping and struggling with insomnia, contemplating suicide, going through lawyers, going through a divorce, paying $$$$ to visit them regularly, to allow them to see that they can do anything they want, they can chase their dreams because one day they’ll see that I never truly left them. I hope that they’ll understand that their mama did everything she could to be there for them but lost herself along the way. I’ve finally truly found myself amidst the heartache and the excruciating pain of leaving them, to be  ‘one to watch’. I know they are proud of me.

I faced it all the time and sometimes still do today. The main message ill give to someone is: You are not in competition with anyone but yourself. Imposter syndrome comes from comparing yourself to others. You suddenly believe youre not good enough because they are prettier or they have a degree or they have a record deal. Imposter syndrome then stops you from growning because youre too caught up on what you can’t do. 

I wrote down what it is I wanted, I wrote down how I will get it, I made plans, I stick to them daily, and I’m exhausted hahaha. But  I don’t allow any rejections or outside influences stop me from working on myself. I work full time, have a side hustle which I am building up, I play a show almost every week and put myself in different projects to help build my capacity and work ethic in the industry. 

Clink is to help me with my stage fitness, rap skills, and stage presence, Mr Chrisy Mertas is to help me build my guitar skills and keep that element of punk that I love alive. It also teaches me not to take myself seriously because we’re literally a band of dropkicks. Bounce is a cover band that I am the lead singer of which also helps with stage presence and working a crowd. Manifesto of Saltwater Women is my connection to my heart and culture. 

All of these things feed back into my ‘heart art’, my baby, the music that Juran makes. Everything I do has a reason and a purpose, I no longer do anything for nothing.

I am a hard worker, I will legit do what ever it takes to make this work! I will build on my craft, I listen and get shit done! I am overwhelmed doing it all by myself tho haha

Darwin festival has taken my show on for Manifesto of Saltwater women and presenters interstate already want the show (I wrote all of the music in this one!) Mr Chrisy Mertas has locked in touring with Artback NT for 2025, I’m in the middle of recording a whole album and have so much music that ebs and flows through such rich and diverse sound, which I’m so ready to share. Clink is about to release our first single ‘Rabbit Hole’! 

Too many!! Don’t Stop Me Now & Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and What’s Up by 4 Non blondes, and More Than Words by Extreme 🙂